The field of the disclosure relates generally to circuit breakers and, more particularly, to circuit breakers including end covers.
Circuit breakers are often used to protect, in a residential, industrial, utility, or commercial environment, against overcurrent conditions, ground fault conditions, or other system anomalies that are undesirable and require the circuit breaker to interrupt the flow of current through the circuit breaker. At least some known circuit breakers include lugs for coupling to a circuit. For example, in some circuit breakers, a load lug is positioned on an end of the circuit breaker and a line lug is positioned on an opposite end of the circuit breaker. Current flows through the circuit breaker from the line lug to the load lug. When the circuit breaker has a reverse feed, the current flows through the circuit breaker from the load lug to the line lug. Sometimes, operation of the circuit breaker generates arc gases and particulates which cause deterioration of components of the circuit breaker. Accordingly, some circuit breakers include shielding to inhibit the arc gases and particulates from contacting components such as the line lugs.
At least some known circuit breakers include an electrically insulative case and end covers coupled to the ends of the electrically insulative case. Typically, a different end cover is required for coupling to each end of the electrically insulative case. For example, the end cover adjacent the line lugs is differentiated from the end cover adjacent the load lug to accommodate shielding that inhibits arc gas and particulates from contacting the line lugs. Moreover, each end cover is assembled from multiple unique parts which increase the number of parts required to assemble the circuit breakers. Also, some circuit breakers are assembled without lugs on at least one end. Accordingly, a different end cover, e.g., a finishing cover, is coupled to the electrically insulative case adjacent the end without lugs. As a result, the cost to manufacture and assemble circuit breakers including end covers is increased.